Page 38 - CIWA-AR24

East Africa

Water Quality Investment
Planning and Prioritization

The NBI centers are supporting national and intercropping; and implementing soil This could include devising strategies
water-quality monitoring networks and erosion control measures. Restoration and that facilitate the equal participation of,
regional water quality information conservation measures should involve the and input from, women and men from
systems to facilitate Nile Basin member management of riparian zones along diverse backgrounds, including those
states in jointly addressing and streams, the restoration of wetlands to working in the informal sector.
reversing the impacts of deteriorating bolster their natural filtration capacity, and
water-quality. This work is focused on control of deforestation by facilitating Enhancing water quality
the Lake Victoria Basin. natural regeneration. Monitoring and data in the Nile Basin
enforcement are another critical aspect, o help countries better identify
T
Water Quality Pollution which includes the establishment of and address water-quality hotspots,
Interventions Assessment water-quality monitoring stations and the the Nile-SEC team is scheduled to
he Water Quality Technical Working application of WRM in the Abbay conduct factory acceptance testing of
T
Group agreed on the two sub-basin. Lastly, capacity building and water-quality equipment in 2024.
water-quality hotspots during the 1st public awareness are imperative for the Installation of the equipment will follow. A
Regional Workshop: Gilgel Abbay Jemma success of these strategies, including Nile basin water quality database has been
sub-watershed in Ethiopia (Eastern Nile) training and education to enhance local produced through NCCR. 23
and Lake Victoria (Mwanza Gulf) on the capacity of women and men in WRM,
Tanzanian side. Water-quality models launching public awareness campaigns, East African Community Water
were created for the Jemma River and promoting nature-based solutions. Quality Management Policy
(Ethiopia) and the Mwanza Gulf
(Tanzania) using hydraulic, hydrological, The Mwanza Gulf, primarily situated in The LVBC developed the East African
water quality, and climatic data to better the Nyashishi catchment, faces Community (EAC) 24 Water Quality
understand the drivers and sources of significant commercial growth and Management Policy to provide a
pollution. Water quality models can be urbanization, making it the most polluted cohesive and harmonized framework
used for analyzing pollutant spills, catchment in the Lake Victoria Basin. A for water-quality management across
predicting long-term water quality in comprehensive set of recommendations member states. It addresses the
rivers, and understanding the local has been proposed to reduce pollution, challenges of fragmented responsibilities,
sources of pollution. Multiple potential including demarcation of drains, streams, lack of uniform water-quality standards,
interventions were identified, including and wetlands around Lake Victoria to
the demarcation of drains, streams, and establish clear boundaries for these vital
wetlands around Lake Victoria’s Mwanza water resources. Strengthening industrial
Gulf and the construction of a wetland at wastewater management is essential to
the mouth of the Mirongo River for the mitigate the risk of harmful pollutants
treatment of terminal waters (waters that entering the lake. Enhancing municipal
that do not have an outlet to the ocean or wastewater management needs to ensure
any other large body of water). Site visits that sewage is appropriately treated
and water quality intervention before discharge.
assessments were conducted for two
hotspots: Akagera River (Rusumo) in An action plan has suggested making
Rwanda and Tanzania and the White Nile Mwanza city a zero-landfill site, which
from Malakal (South Sudan) to Jebel Aulia would significantly diminish pollution
Khartoum (Sudan). from solid waste. The construction of a
wetland at the mouth of the Mirongo
Agricultural practices including the use River is proposed for wastewater
of agrochemicals are the main pollution treatment, which would use natural (plant
sources in the Jemma River, leading to and soil) purification. The development of
sedimentation, eutrophication, and a water-quality monitoring network will
increased soil erosion from deforestation be crucial. The formation of a committee
and overgrazing. The recommended to oversee these initiatives and
strategies for addressing water pollution in guarantee their effective execution is
the Jemma watershed include improving needed, as is a strategy to scale up
sanitation infrastructure through learning to spread knowledge and best
construction of latrines; promoting practices and involve male and female
sustainable agricultural practices including stakeholders in the preservation of the
manuring, integrated pest management, Mwanza Gulf and its ecosystems.

23 https://nilebasin.org/waterqualitydatabase
33 24 https://www.lvbcom.org/water-quality-management-strategy-and-action-plan-submitted-to-east-african-community-partner-states-for-approval/